Santa Cruz Scorpion

About

Scorpion Canyon Campground is the most family-friendly campsite in Channel Islands National Park, located on the eastern portion of Santa Cruz Island. The campground sits in a valley with a mixture of trees and shrubs, with rugged mountain peaks rising to 1,808 feet above. The beach nearby is a mix of sand and rocks facing the Santa Barbara Channel, offering excellent opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, diving, and kayaking. Santa Cruz Island has been inhabited for over 10,000 years, first by Chumash Indians and later by European ranchers. Today the island hosts over 600 plant species, 140 land bird species, and unique wildlife found nowhere else on Earth, including the island fox and island scrub-jay. Hiking options are abundant, from the 2-mile Cavern Point Loop with views of the mainland coastline to the 7.5-mile trek to Smugglers Cove. This is primitive camping with no hookups, no fires, and no trash service. Campers must arrange boat transportation through Island Packers before making reservations. All food and trash must be stored in animal-proof containers, as foxes and ravens can open zippers. Yellow jackets can be aggressive during summer and early fall. Campers should be prepared for variable weather and bring supplies for an extra day in case boats cannot pick up due to sea conditions.

Directions

The campground is accessible only by boat. Arrange transportation with Island Packers from Ventura Harbor. From Highway 101, exit at Victoria or Seaward and follow signs to Ventura Harbor. The boat ride takes approximately 1 hour. From the boat landing at Scorpion Anchorage, the campground is a flat 0.5-mile hike.